Global nuclear energy operations responding to COVID-19

The nuclear industry is taking action in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to protect workers and reduce transmission of the virus. This builds on a strong safety culture already exists in the nuclear industry worldwide.

Actions taken by nuclear energy operations and power plants depend on the guidance and directives implemented in different countries and regions. Measures to screen workers and detect those who may have the virus include temperature checks to identify fever, a common symptom of COVID-19.

In countries where
it is advised or required, remote working has been implemented for those staff
not required to work on-site. This reduces the number of staff on-site, which
can help in implementing social distancing measures.

Other ways to enhance social distancing for nuclear energy operations include staggering staff meal breaks to reduce the number of staff using canteens at the same time or staggering the start and end of shifts to reduce the number of staff arriving/leaving at the same time.

Companies are also
restricting or cancelling non-essential business travel and using conference
video and audio calls for meetings, even for those employees still working
on-site.

To ensure the health of key workers in areas where the incidence of COVID-19 may increase significantly, other measures that are being considered include changing shift patterns.

Additionally, some companies are making preparations by securing supplies of food, beds and other essentials to allow workers to stay on-site to minimize their contact with others in the event that this is required.

Key nuclear plant
staff may also stay in dedicated accommodation and travel to and from site in
separate transportation.

In addition, the importance of maintaining high levels of hygiene, staying at home and maintaining social distancing away from work will be as high for nuclear workers as it is for everyone.

Managing all areas of nuclear energy operations

In many countries
operations in different parts of the nuclear industry are, at present,
continuing. However, depending on the situation with COVID-19 where they are
located, operations not vital to ensuring the continued operation of nuclear
power plants may be reduced or stopped.

Mining

Kazatomprom, Kazakhstan’s state-owned uranium production company – which produced 40% of the world’s primary uranium in 2018 – has announced that it will draw on its existing inventory of uranium should its mining operations be affected.

Its uranium mining sites are primarily in remote areas in the southern regions of Kazakhstan and to date the pandemic has had no impact on its operations. However, the remoteness of those sites requires that production, maintenance, catering and support staff stay on site and live in close quarters while at work. COVID-19 could pose a significant health and safety concern if an outbreak were to occur in such a setting.

At the Cigar Lake
uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, production is being temporarily
suspended and the facility in being placed in safe care and maintenance mode
during the COVID-19 pandemic. This will reduce the workforce on site from
around 300 to 35, enabling improved physical distancing and enhanced safety
precautions. In addition, production is being suspended at the McClean Lake
uranium mill, where ore from Cigar Lake is normally processed.

Reactor Operations

At the Bruce nuclear power plant activities on the Major Component Replacement project, which will extend the operating life of the plant, have been narrowed to essential tasks to allow Bruce Power to focus on generating electricity and production of cobalt-60 for medical sterilisation.

The reduction in industrial and other activity in countries taking countermeasures against COVID-19 is reducing overall electricity demand.

In China, some reactors reduced their power output according to the requirements of the grid. As countermeasures are gradually lifted plants are returning to full power.

The Ascó I nuclear plant in Tarragona and Almaraz I in Cáceres, Spain, has announced the rescheduling of their outages for fuel loading.

Construction

Activities on
construction sites are being reduced or stopped and new working practices
introduced. At the Hinkley Point C plant under construction in the UK staff
numbers have been reduced by more than half and will be reduced further as work
in progress is completed.

Continuation of
work at Rosatom’s overseas construction projects are guided by the
recommendations of the disease control services and governments of the
respective countries in which construction is taking place.

Work was halted on
some reactors under construction in China in response to the COVID-19 virus. As
work gradually resumes, countermeasures are being introduced for the employees
returning to site.

Waste management and decommissioning

At the Sellafield site in Cumbria, UK, the Magnox reprocessing plant has been closed down as a precaution to better prepare it for restart. The Magnox reprocessing plant treats fuel that was used in the UK Magnox reactors, the first generation of reactors used in the country.

These reactors were already closed having reached the end of their operational life, and the Magnox reprocessing plant was already due to close in 2020, so this will have no impact on the operation of the UK’s AGR and PWR reactors. In the north-west of France operations at the La Hague reprocessing plant have also been suspended.

Regulation

A number of inspectors
from UK’s regulator, ONR, will continue to travel to sites where required but
as much business as possible will be carried out by phone, email and Skype.
France’s regulator, ASN, is removing non-essential direct physical contact to
limit the spread of the virus and giving priority to the control of operating
facilities.

Nuclear technology
to help combat COVID-19

Nuclear technologies have medical applications that will help combat COVID-19. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is providing diagnostic kits, equipment and training in nuclear-derived detection techniques to countries asking for assistance in tackling the worldwide spread of the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19.

The assistance, requested by 14 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, is part of intensified global efforts to contain infections.

In China, industrial irradiation facilities were made available for the treatment of medical supplies, not only to destroy the coronavirus but also to disinfect and sterilise medical supplies to remove any other virus or bacteria.

In addition, maintaining the nuclear energy operations of reactors used for the preparation of medical isotopes will allow for the continued use of these vital materials for the diagnosis and treatment of other illnesses.

Nicolette Pombo-van Zyl has been working in the African power, energy and water sectors since 2011, first with African Utility Week and now as the Editor of ESI Africa. She is also an Advisory Board member of the Global and African Power & Energy Elites publications. With her passion for sustainable business and placing African countries on the international stage, Nicolette takes a keen interest in current affairs and technology trends.